High drama unfolded outside Jodhpur Central Jail late Wednesday night when Asaram, who is serving a life term for the sexual assault of a minor gurukul student, arrived hours past the deadline to surrender following the end of his temporary parole. The prison administration refused to open the gates citing standard regulations that prohibit admitting inmates after sunset. The failure to turn up within the stipulated period has now triggered formal legal action by prison officials.
Late Arrival and Entry Denial Under Jail Regulations
Asaram had been granted a 20-day parole on October 6 specifically to undergo medical treatment. Under the surrender guidelines and prison superintendent directives, he was required to report back to the facility before sunset, with the deadline set at 5 pm on the concluding day of his release term. However, he did not turn up at the jail within the designated hours.
Instead, he traveled from Indore in Madhya Pradesh to Jodhpur airport aboard an air ambulance late in the evening. From the airport, an ambulance transported him directly to Jodhpur Central Jail, where he reached around 11 pm. The prison security staff refused him immediate entry because the prison manual strictly prohibits admitting prisoners after sunset without specialized procedures. Unable to gain entry, Asaram departed from the main gate inside the ambulance, while a large gathering of his followers and supporters monitored the developments outside the premises.
Police Complaint and Formal Charges Filed
The correctional administration took serious exception to the prisoner's absence during regular admission hours. Banwarilal, a jail warden representing the administration, approached the Ratanada police station in Jodhpur and lodged an official complaint against Asaram for failing to surrender after the completion of his 20-day parole period.
Following the registration of the complaint, the police view him as an absconder who breached parole conditions, prompting Ratanada police station personnel to initiate search procedures. The late arrival has also generated procedural complications regarding how and under what formal mechanism the authorities will execute his return to custody.
Statutory Penalties and Repercussions for Legal Relief
The formal case registered at Ratanada police station invokes Section 58B of the Prisons Act for failing to report within the designated schedule. This particular statutory clause empowers law enforcement officers to arrest an accused individual without requiring a prior warrant.
The offence carries a penalty of up to 3 years of imprisonment along with a financial fine of 3000 rupees upon conviction. Such a documented record of non-compliance and overstaying parole terms is expected to directly hinder any upcoming legal petitions, medical relief pleas, or interim applications that Asaram might file before the courts in the future.
